Flags a drag for Cowboys, but schedule offers hope

By Tom Orsborn

Updated 10:51 pm, Monday, November 12, 2012

Photo: Sharon Ellman, FRE

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Dallas Cowboys safety Gerald Sensabaugh (43) and cornerback Morris Claiborne (24) before an NFL football game against the New York Giants Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012 in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

Dallas Cowboys safety Gerald Sensabaugh (43) and cornerback Morris Claiborne (24) before an NFL football game against the New York Giants Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012 in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

The rejuvenated Dallas Cowboys are determined to treat this weekend's game against the AFC North doormats with the same level of seriousness they did Sunday's outing at Philadelphia.

The Cowboys saved their season with a 38-23 win over the Eagles. Back in the playoff picture at 4-5, Dallas can't afford a letdown against the lowly Browns on Sunday at Cowboys Stadium.

"It's a must-win game. It's November," cornerback Brandon Carr said Monday. "We've lost enough games. … The clock is ticking, and the time to do it is now."

The Cleveland game ushers in the soft portion of the season for Dallas, which plays its next three games at home against teams with losing records. In all, the Cowboys play five of their next six games in Arlington.

'Know we have a shot'

Of Dallas' final seven opponents, only Pittsburgh (6-3) has a winning record, although two other December foes, Cincinnati and New Orleans, also had big wins Sunday to pull to 4-5.

"We know we have a shot," Carr said of the Cowboys' catching the NFC East-leading New York Giants, who have lost two straight to fall to 6-4. "But we're not looking around to see what everyone else is doing. We have to control what's going on in our locker room. That's all we have control over.

"If the Giants lose, win, draw, however it may be, that has nothing to do with us. We have to go into each game with the mindset that we are going to take care of our own business."

That could be difficult to do if the Cowboys continue their undisciplined play. On Sunday, they committed 13 penalties for the fourth time this season, with rookie corner Morris Claiborne responsible for a whopping five.

Even though Dallas is 3-1 in those contests, team executive vice president Stephen Jones said the flags can't be ignored.

"We've got to stop the penalties," Jones told KRLD-FM. "They're inexcusable, yet we continue to have them. We kept drives alive for the Eagles a couple of times by being offsides. It's unacceptable."

"Somehow we've got to get focused," Jones said. "For some reason, the guys continue to make those mistakes, and at some point that's going to cost us a game that may cost us our season. … We've got to do more, because whatever we're doing is not working."

Along those lines, Garrett said the team will focus in practice on eliminating the defensive pre-snap penalties by simulating hard counts by the opposing quarterback.

"I turned to (backup quarterback) Kyle Orton midway through the third and said I want to hear 800 hard counts in practice this week," Garrett said. "You just have to practice it over and over."